


A Matter of Course

by The_Lady_Crane



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Fluff, Jealousy, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26742628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Crane/pseuds/The_Lady_Crane
Summary: Of course, Ike would choose Elincia. It was really a matter of time, in Soren's point of view. All he had to do was bite back his feelings for the rest of his life, and he would be fine.
Relationships: Ike/Senerio | Soren
Comments: 26
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like writing an angsty Soren. I've only proof-read this once, so I'll come back later to fix any mistakes in grammar or spelling.
> 
> Edit: Made some edits already, and I'm about halfway done. Please bear with me!

Of course, it had been the most likely outcome.

Soren watched from a balcony of the palace as Ike and Elincia came out onto the alcove high above. He was leading her by the hand. It shouldn’t have been so painful, but Soren felt the blow against his soul, like a lead weight swinging into his gut. He looked on, deaf to Elincia’s address to the nation, blind to all but Ike, who was now standing to one side of Elincia like a gallant knight. He looked pleased, proud, a little tired but happy. He was watching Elincia. Soren felt his heart shatter in a way that was very physical, sharp and painful as if it were an actual wound. 

Ridiculous.

He had Ike’s support, he thought. As long as he was allowed to stay by Ike’s side, he should be content. Was he really so selfish that he had to have his cake and eat it, too? Ike’s kindness didn’t entitle Soren to anything more than friendly affection. So, why was he so shocked at this? Why did it hurt as much as it did? Soren turned away from the balcony, from the adoring crowds and Ike and Elincia.

He would remain by Ike’s side, no matter what.

>>><<<

The weeks in Melior passed in a blur. Ike was often away, attending meetings with Crimea’s military leaders and nobles, accompanying Elincia to some of her conferences on restructuring the country. The rest of the mercenaries spent their time at leisure. They spent their sumptuous pay, or talked about what they would spend it on once they returned - IF they returned - to the old fort. They talked of the future. Soren remained by himself, sequestered in the library or in his room, ignoring everyone else.

Soren’s favorite place to hide was in the library at the palace. It was quiet, and dark but for the lanterns provided for reading. With all hands busy repairing the castle and tending to matters of state, Soren was usually the only person there. He sat in a window overlooking the gardens, stacks of books surrounding him, shielding him from reality. He buried himself in research, making note of anything that might prove useful to Ike – as a lord, he was now expected to participate in the political scene. Soren would help him, just as he always had. Nothing would change.

Soren didn’t realize that Ike had found his hiding place until one day, when he dropped down on the floor in front of Soren, letting his red velvet cloak pool around him. Soren gave a small start and looked up from his book. Ike offered him a wan smile, which Soren couldn’t return. It was rare for Ike to be alone with him nowadays, except when he came to Soren's room at night, seeking a quieter place to sleep. Then Soren would allow him in, make sure he had everything he needed, and escape to the library. Being around Ike was terribly painful, and being alone with him was agony. Soren was terrified that he might say something foolish; and the last thing he wanted was to shatter Ike's newfound happiness with his own selfish problems. 

“Didn’t mean to disturb you,” Ike said, drawing Soren out of his own thoughts. “Go on.”

Soren closed the book and set it on the windowsill next to him. Ike was very close; if he shifted just so, he would be leaning against Soren’s leg. Soren ignored that fact. “Do you need something?” he asked. His voice rang hollowly in the stillness of the library.

“Not really,” Ike said. “Just wanted to get away for a while.”

“Mm.” Already, Soren was inwardly berating himself. He was supposed to be Ike’s friend, and yet he was acting selfishly. How could he treat Ike this way, when Ike had only ever been kind to him? “Do you want to talk about it?” he added, hoping that his tone sounded warmer than it did to his own ears.

“Not really much to talk about,” Ike said with a shrug. His broad shoulder brushed against Soren’s leg, and the sage nearly jumped. “It’s just a lot, you know? When there’s not a meeting, there’s a party. Everyone’s always coming to me for advice…” A slight chuckle shook his shoulders, once again bringing him closer to Soren. “I guess I kinda know how it feels to be you.”

Soren was still a little distracted by the sudden contact. “What?”

“Well, everyone thinks I’m some great leader now… It just reminds me of how I’m always looking to you for advice.” Ike’s half-smile dropped, his eyes still boring into Soren's. "Anyway, I'd been wondering where you kept getting off to. Are you avoiding me?" 

"No," Soren said immediately, biting back the sting of guilt. "I'm just very busy. I want to take this opportunity to learn all I can from this place." 

"You're always so practical," Ike said, and Soren wasn't sure that it was an admonition. "But, that's a good thing. I need you for that." 

He couldn’t bear this. The easy way they had about each other, the casual drape of Ike’s body on the floor, were too much. When his eyes began to sting at the edges, Soren stood, forgetting his stack of books on the windowsill. “I’m sorry, Ike. I have somewhere to be right now.” His voice was tight and restrained.

He hated himself for retreating. He hated himself more with every step that he took away from Ike, and he hated himself even more when Ike called out to him, “Wait!”

Soren stopped, but he couldn’t look back.

“Sorry. I know you’re probably busy.” Ike’s tone was heavy with disappointment. “I’ll let you go, but I wanted to ask you if you’re going to the ball tonight. I haven’t seen you at the others so far.”

“No,” Soren said immediately, glancing back, and he wished he hadn’t. Ike’s shoulders dropped just a bit.

“I wish you’d come,” he said. “I’ve had to go every time, and I never have anyone to talk to. Elincia’s busy with the nobles, and Mist has decided that she likes dancing, and Boyd…”

Of course, Soren thought, Ike would want a backup friend in case his girlfriend wasn’t available. His throat seized with hot shame; it was his duty to remain by Ike’s side, no matter what. “If you want me to be there, then I’ll be there,” he said.

Ike looked up at him again. “I don’t mean to force you,” he said. “But if you came, just once, then we could… Uh, I’d really be grateful.”

Soren nodded. “Of course, Ike.”

>>><<<

He had been gifted a set of fine robes on the eve of the first ball. One was an elegant emerald green with gold embroidery forming a geometric diamond pattern on the sleeves and hem. He chose this over the white one, which was far too vibrant for his current mood. It was only for Ike’s sake that he was going, and he would swallow his feelings all the while. He had to be better. He had to do better.

In the past few weeks, the loss of Ike – the loss of hope that Ike might feel anything special for him – had not become easier to bear. Rather, he felt numb, as if his emotions had been buried under a sheet of ice. The ache still flared in his chest now and then, but he was often able to force it aside. He felt that leaden weight in his heart as he stepped out of his room to find Ike waiting for him.

“Ready?” Ike was wearing a dashing ensemble, all red and blue and gold. His cape was heavy velvet, lined in a blue that matched his eyes. It didn’t suit him one bit, but Soren had no doubt that Elincia would appreciate the effort to which Ike had gone. He was obviously dressed to impress, with even the laces of his boots in pristine order.

Wordlessly, Soren followed Ike, keeping a respectable distance from him and walking slightly behind. He was focused on his own breaths when Ike said, “Sorry for asking you to do this. You don’t look so well… Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Yes, Ike.” His voice was flat. He couldn’t mange to make it any less so.

Ike stopped, halting Soren in his tracks, and turned to look at him. His deep blue eyes were shaded with concern, and Soren felt guilt pile onto guilt as Ike said, “I never see you at meals, and Titania says you haven’t been sleeping again. If this is too much for you, then…” 

Soren forced himself to smile. It warmed his heart that Ike still cared, despite the pain that also came with that revelation. “Really, I’m fine. I just don’t feel at ease here. That’s all.”

The commander seemed relieved to hear this. The tension in his face left as he resumed walking down the corridor. “To be honest, I don’t, either. I’m glad that at least you understand.”

The noise of the ballroom reached them long before they could see the wide double doors. People were talking and laughing in a subdued way that created a low, murmuring hum. The tap-tap-tap of gilt-tipped boots and soft silk slippers mingled with the voices, lending a disorienting element to the atmosphere. It was a sound that affected the other senses; already Soren was feeling lightheaded. When the entryway came into view, it was adorned with festive flower garlands and tiny magical lights. The holidays were far away, and yet the nobles couldn’t resist celebrating. Soren froze when Elincia appeared in a brilliant white ballgown, greeting everyone who passed by with a joyful smile.

“My Lord Ike!” she said as soon as she caught sight of them. “And Soren. How nice to see you both.”

Soren had no intention of sticking around for this. Even though they were in public and Elincia couldn’t embrace her hero as she probably wanted, her eyes were dancing and her entire body seemed to lean towards Ike, as if she saw nobody else in the world. The sage slipped through the crowd and, before Ike could notice that he was gone, entered the ballroom.

Ike didn’t need him right now. Later, when Elincia was schmoozing with the crowd, Ike would probably seek him out for temporary companionship. Soren tried to make himself feel good about this – that Ike still wanted him around, that he still needed him. But it was a heavy thought. He edged along the wall and tried to make himself as small as possible, until Ike wanted his company.

Unfortunately, the other guests had no intention of letting him slip past unnoticed. “Could that be Master Soren?” someone said, and Soren looked up to find a tall beorc noble striding towards him. He had to bite his tongue to resist curling into himself. “Why, I believe you are! My name is Duke Fernard Clearwater, of Crimea’s lovely Viven Region. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!”

Soren took the man’s offered hand and shook it, withdrawing as soon as he could without seeming overly rude. As he said nothing, the duke spoke again. “I have heard all about the brilliant tactics that drove our enemies back across the border. Have you time to discuss some of them?”

“Ah, no, I’m waiting for… a friend,” Soren said, subtly creeping sideways. “It was… good to meet you.”

“Well, some other time, then,” the duke said, taking his leave to go chat with another opulently dressed noble.

It was getting harder to breathe, so Soren made his way towards one of the open doorways. This led to a balcony. Though it was hardly secluded, with couples and small groups of people milling about, it was much easier to take deep, steadying breaths out in the cool night air.

“Master Tactician!”

Soren cringed. It was another noble – one of Elincia’s courtiers, who had many times tried to engage Soren in conversation. For this man, Soren was inclined to allow his prickly nature to show. “What do you want?” he asked.

The man wasn’t even phased. “I had nearly given up hope of seeing you again,” he said, twirling the tip of his graying moustache between two fingers. “With the way you avoid such affairs as these, one might think you were a recluse!”

Soren stared at him stonily, but he continued. “Now, I have had the pleasure of conversing at length with the general, and with your companions. But I have hardly gotten to probe the most brilliant mind that Tellius has ever known. Would you indulge me?” His smile was too solicitous.

“No, I would not,” Soren said curtly, and turned away to look out over the gardens. The repairs were almost complete. Already it was a place of beauty once more, the scars of battle almost completely erased. Only a few shrubs and saplings remained to be planted again. There were fewer trees now, and some of the flowerbeds had been moved, but if Soren hadn’t seen it before, he might not have known that a battle ever took place on these grounds.

“My, aren’t you pretty?”

This third intrusion came as an utter shock. At first, Soren didn’t realize that he was the one being addressed, until someone came to stand beside him. He looked over to see a man dressed somewhat more plainly than his peers, with a simple but elegant suit and a gold cape pinned over one shoulder. He was smiling at Soren solicitously, as the others had, but he spoke in a low tone that discouraged intrusion from anyone else. “Who might you be? Are you here with your family?”

Soren bit the inside of his cheek. “No, I’m here on invitation from the general,” he said.

“Truly?” The man shifted closer, and Soren moved back. The man paused and raised his hands placatingly. “Oh, forgive me,” he said. “I was simply struck by your beauty. I couldn’t help trying to get a bit of a closer look.”

In all his life, Soren had received many kinds of attention – usually negative. But unsolicited flirting was entirely new to him. He blinked at the man, lost for once on what to say. The stranger seemed to anticipate this; he stepped closer again. “You seem so young to be here unaccompanied. Who is your father? He ought not to let his son wander alone. I might escort you…”

“Is everything alright, Soren?”

It was Ike. Ike was there, and Soren could only feel relieved as the man backed off.

“Why, General. I wasn’t sure if you would attend tonight,” the man said.

“Yeah, I came,” Ike said bluntly. “What do you want with Soren?”

“Soren?” The man looked to Soren again, one eyebrow arched. “You wouldn’t be the tactician who won us the war?”

“That’s right,” Soren said.

There was a new look in his eyes now. “I took you for a boy,” he said. “Forgive me. If I had known—”

“It’s fine,” Soren said dismissively, turning to Ike. “Ike, did you need something from me?”

Ike was still staring hard at the man. “Let’s go for a walk,” he said, his gaze lingering on the retreating noble even as he led Soren along the balcony.

There was a short flight of steps leading down from the side of the balcony. They descended into the gardens, where a few nobles were standing around and talking. Ike led Soren past them, returning greetings with only the briefest of formalities, his step determined as Soren hadn’t seen it since that last battle with Ashnard.

“It should be quieter over here,” Ike said as they approached an area of the garden that had yet to be remodeled. A temporary fence had been built of pegs and rope, and Ike stepped easily over it. As Soren followed, he couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty for avoiding the rest of the palace. Tonight, he had gotten a taste of what he’d been dodging; this was the kind of attention that Ike was receiving on a daily basis, and Soren felt that he had failed somehow to shield Ike from it. It was horrible, he thought, to be seen as an object of public use. The nobles who scraped and bowed to them were only concerned with themselves; they each hoped to gain some prestige by associating with the famous hero and his company.

Ike brought him out of his thoughts. “Easier to think out here, huh?” he said.

“Mm. It is.” Soren looked around; they had come to a private area surrounded by saplings still in pots, and stacks of stone lying ready for the masons.

“What was that guy talking to you about?” Ike asked, jerking his head toward the palace.

“Oh, him? He thought I was some nobleman’s son.” Soren fingered the sleeve of his silk robe. “He was probably hoping that he could buy me for the night.”

Ike cringed. “Buy you? He didn’t think…”

“It’s not uncommon for young men to make themselves available to a nobleman,” Soren said, remembering the trysts he had witnessed in shadowed alcoves of the library and in silent corridors tucked away out of sight. “The boy gets showered with presents and contacts, and the man gets his rocks off. It’s an advantageous arrangement, if disturbing.”

“I thought… I mean, aren’t these people mostly married?”

Soren gave a snort. “You’re quite naïve if you think that they remain loyal. It’s common for a nobleman to take a mistress or two.” Briefly, the thought occurred to Soren that he would gladly be Ike’s mistress, if only for a while. He shook his head. Disgusting.

“Huh. I guess we country folk are simpler.” Ike looked up to the stars, sighing into the breeze. “I always believed that once you find the love of your life, you stay with them forever.”

Something pulsed painfully in Soren’s chest. “If only everyone could be as straightforward and loyal as you,” he said.

“Heh. Straightforward…” Ike ran a hand through his hair. “Sometimes, I’m hardly straightforward. Or, it’s more like I don’t always know what to say.”

Soren looked up at this, hearing the tone of disappointment in Ike’s voice. “Ike, you are the most honest person I know,” he said. “Whether you know what to say or not, you always say what you feel. That is more admirable than tact.”

Something seemed off. Soren noted the tension in Ike’s shoulders, the slight twitch of his left eye. “Something’s on your mind?” he pressed, gently, shutting himself down so he could focus on Ike.

“Yeah,” Ike said after a moment. “Yeah, I’ve been… I’ve been thinking a lot.” He turned to look at Soren, and his eyes glinted in the shadows. “Lately, I feel like there’s something I’ve left undone. There’s something else I have to do.”

“What do you mean?”

Ike sat on a crate of gardening supplies, and gestured to Soren, who sat next to him. “I defeated the Black Knight. I defeated Ashnard. But there’s still something I have to do… and it’s probably harder than anything I’ve done before.”

Soren listened patiently, saying nothing, as Ike gathered himself.

“I always think that I’ve done my best to express my feelings to people. I wanted to let everyone know how much they mean to me, in case…” He trailed off, and Soren knew what he wanted to say: _In case they died before I could tell them, like my father_. “Lately, though, I’ve been thinking that I didn’t really understand my own feelings well enough.”

Soren could see where this was going. His gut clenched horribly. He wanted to escape, but he also wanted to hear Ike out. He would support Ike no matter what. It wasn’t like Ike had anyone else he could talk to; it would be awkward to talk to Mist or Titania, and Boyd would certainly tease him for all this talk of feelings.

But Soren would never ridicule him. Soren would remain no matter what.

“I don’t know much about… romance.”

The vault around Soren’s heart closed once more. He stared ahead, numb.

“I don’t really know anyone who _would_ know,” Ike continued. “It’d be too weird to talk to Mist about it. Titania would also be… awkward. Boyd would laugh at me. Oscar wouldn’t know. Rhys would be too embarrassed…”

Soren swallowed a lump in his throat.

“So, I went to Elincia.”

The ground seemed to drop out from under Soren. “O- oh?” he managed to say. He didn’t want to be here. But here he would remain, for Ike’s sake.

“I asked her about it all… How love works. Romantic love. She told me some things.”

“Did she?” It was getting easier to lock down his feelings now. He felt almost like he was out of his own body.

Ike was looking at him, but Soren couldn’t bear to return the gaze. “I didn’t understand a lot of what she said,” Ike pressed on. “I don’t really get the… ins and outs of it. But I do understand one thing: The way you feel for someone… for that one person you want to spend your life with… It’s different from how you feel about family or friends.”

Soren nodded.

“When I think about losing any of you… it hurts. It hurts a lot. But I can see myself moving on, somehow. Like I moved on from Father’s death.” The pain in Ike’s voice mirrored the pain in Soren’s heart. “There’s only one person who is so… so important to me. I don’t know that I could move on, if…”

The sounds of the night closed in as Ike trailed off. Soren realized only then that Ike was kneeling beside him, no longer sitting, looking directly into his eyes. Finally, he met Ike’s gaze.

“Soren…”

His heart stopped, shuddered, resumed beating.

Ike took Soren’s hand in his own. “During that last battle, when you were hurt… I never realized…” He cleared his throat. “I’m still not really clear on any of this. I don’t know what I’m doing. But I…”

“Ike…”

“I love you,” Ike said in one breath, almost as one word. “For a long time, I knew you were important to me. I never knew why. I don’t know if this is the same kind of love that my father felt for my mother. I don’t know if it’s the same thing they write about in poems. But I know that if I were to lose you, I couldn’t ever recover. I couldn’t ever forget… or move on.” Ike’s gaze never wavered. Soren felt like he was suffocating, drowning.

“I…” Soren could hardly speak. The words stuck on his tongue. “Ike, I…”

“Will you stay with me?”

Finally, the passage was eased. “Yes,” Soren said. “Ike, I always wanted… I would be very happy if I could stay by your side…”

A smile, bright and free. Ike’s hands squeezed Soren’s. “Thank you,” he said.

“No, I…” Soren owed everything to Ike. How could he accept Ike’s thanks? “You don’t think… What about your future?”

“Hopefully, you’ll be there with me,” Ike said.

“Don’t you want a family?”

“I have one,” Ike said determinedly. “Soren, I don’t care how many marriage offers I get. I just want you.”

“Ike…”

They came together then, embracing each other. Soren was trembling, but Ike didn’t comment on it. He held onto him tightly, crushing Soren to his broad chest, giving what Soren needed without being asked. So many doubts swirled in Soren’s head, but they all fled in the presence of Ike’s warmth. They couldn’t fight against the truth of Ike holding him or the sincerity of his words.

“Does this…” Soren muttered against Ike’s neck. “Are we… l- lovers now?”

He could feel Ike’s flush against his forehead. “I guess we are,” Ike said. Soren knew that the gruffness in his voice was only embarrassment and maybe a little uncertainty. “I don’t really care what it’s called. I just want you to stay with me.”

“Always… I always will.”

With warm fingers wrapped in white linen, Ike tilted Soren’s chin up so their faces could meet again. He was smiling slightly. Soren was drawn in, closer, until their lips connected. It was a short, intense burst of electricity that shot straight through him, chasing his breath away once more. Ike didn’t linger, and Soren didn’t come after him, but the smile they shared was like a continuation of the kiss – it was open, honest, intimate and tender.

“So, then,” Ike said with a slight quirk of his lips. “That settles it. Sealed with a kiss, right?”

“Yes…” Soren’s voice trembled like the rest of him as Ike stood and pulled him up with him.

“We already made our appearance… Let’s go.” Ike’s hand remained firmly wrapped around Soren’s.

“You got dressed up like this, only to skip out on the party?”

“Well, I had to, uh…” Ike glanced away then. “I mean, it’s a pretty important moment for… us.”

Soren’s eyebrows shot upward. “You dressed up for _me_?”

“You agreed to come,” Ike said. “I thought I’d put in a little effort for you. You always look great, so I…”

“Wait, you think I look good?” Soren had to laugh a little at this.

“Yeah. You’re always really well dressed and put together,” Ike said with a little frown. “I figured you wouldn’t want me to look sloppy, especially on a night like this.”

“Ike…” Soren leaned into Ike’s arm, holding onto it, burying his face in thick velvet. He couldn’t stop chuckling. “Ike, this elegant kind of attire doesn’t suit either of us. I prefer the rugged look of a country mercenary… Aesthetically speaking, of course.”

“But you always look so graceful!” Ike protested, his ears turning red.

“Hardly!” Soren looked up at him then, his smile wider than Ike had ever seen it. “I don’t care for opulence. I’m far more comfortable in my torn cotton robes.”

Ike grinned. “I guess we won’t have to worry about arguing about decorating our room, then.”

Soren’s smile faded a little. “Our room?”

“Back at the fort. When we return, I want to… Well, the commander’s room is mine now, so, with you…”

Now it was Soren’s ears that were going a deep crimson. “The others will know, if we bed down together like that.”

“So? Saves us the trouble of telling them,” Ike said with a shrug. “As for tonight, do you want to sleep in my room, or should I sleep in yours?”

This wasn’t an unexpected question. Ever since their arrival in Melior, Ike had sometimes slept in Soren’s room, if mostly to hide from the servants who were always coming to give him some message or other. Now, Soren wondered if that was the only reason. “Mine,” he said.

“OK.”

They strolled once again up to the balcony and through the double doors, into the grand ballroom where nobles were mingling and dancing. Soren thought he could see Elincia twirling around on the dance floor with Geoffrey. She caught Ike’s eye and gave him a wink, which Ike returned with a lopsided grin and a wave. Soren blanched. “She knows?”

“I told you that I went to her for advice.”

“Oh, Goddess…” Soren clung to Ike’s arm as they walked through the crowd, deterring people from speaking to them simply by his embarrassed glare. Something in him – a small part that he was loath to acknowledge, but that was quite insistent nonetheless – reveled in triumph. He had won. Ike had chosen him. The fact that Elincia knew this meant that Soren had effectively staked his claim.

Soren shook his head. “Are you alright?” Ike asked, and Soren nodded, too ashamed of his own mind to speak.

When they found the quiet of the corridors, Soren said, “Was there any particular reason you chose tonight to tell me? I didn’t think you were very romantic.”

“Romantic?” Ike huffed. “I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks! But you’re never around, and when I finally found you in the library, you ran.”

“What- Ike, you could have…” Soren was floored. He stopped walking, his hand still held in Ike’s. “You could have said something. When you’ve stayed in my room, you could have…”

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Ike said, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. “I thought it would be better somewhere public, so you could get away from me if you wanted to.”

“You thought that much about it?”

Ike smirked. “I planned ahead a little. You’re rubbing off on me, I guess.”

Soren held onto Ike’s arm all the way to his room. Of course, he thought, this would be the natural outcome. He had been blind to not see Ike’s affection for him. Had he really doubted Ike so much? Suddenly, all of the small gestures added up. Soren felt his heart swell out of its confines.

When they got to Soren’s room, he paused in the doorway. “Ike… Are you sure you want this? Do you really want me?”

Ike smiled at him and led him inside. “Of course.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now, we visit Ike's perspective on the whole thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never intended to add to this, but things here have been... Well, let's just say "hectic". I got the urge to write, and so I wrote. It provided a nice little escape from life's problems. Hopefully it will entertain someone else out there, too!

Of course, Ike would choose Soren in the end.

It wasn’t that Elincia was surprised, or even particularly disappointed. At first, she had been dazzled by the boy – no, the man – who had saved her from certain death. Ike was a capable fighter, a kindhearted person, honest to a fault, and quite handsome to boot. How could she not have fallen for him? But getting to know Ike the person, as opposed to Ike the Savior, had cooled some of her flirtatious feelings towards him.

He was handsome, strong, and kind, but really, he appealed to Elincia as a friend more than as a potential suitor. As she had gotten to know him and the people he cherished, she had seen that there really couldn’t be much of a future for the two of them.

But Soren, on the other hand… That was the certainty. It had become clear to Elincia, gradually, that Soren’s loyalty to Ike extended beyond the bonds of brothers in arms, beyond the respect of staff officer for commander, and even beyond the conventions of friendship. Ike, too, seemed to hold Soren in a different regard than he did for anyone else. The commander was always checking on Soren, asking about his whereabouts, sometimes obviously neglecting his own needs until he was sure that Soren’s were met. Elincia could clearly see the communications between them, when they would seem to speak without words, when a glance was all they needed to convey information.

Was she jealous? Not really. Her primary concern had been for Ike because Soren was such a dour person – such a prickly person, so defensive towards others, so very _bitter_ at times. Traveling with them had shown her that Soren softened only for Ike. It seemed a perilous relationship, but over time, the mage had mellowed towards the others, as well. He was growing, maturing, like every one of them had throughout the war. Elincia’s doubts about them vanished. If anyone could help Soren to become more agreeable, it would be Ike; and Ike seemed so much more relaxed when he was with Soren. It was really only a matter of time before they realized it, themselves.

Therefore, when Ike came to see her that evening, she had no delusions about his intentions.

“Elincia,” he greeted her when she opened the door to her chambers. That people would talk about this – about the general coming to see the queen late at night in her private rooms – probably didn’t even cross his mind. He looked like a man desperate for help, and Elincia was more than glad to put down the mantle of Queen and take up the role of Friend.

“Please, come in,” she offered, stepping aside to allow him to pass. He had dressed in his old ratty clothes, having finished with the court duties for the day, and he flopped onto a settee without grace or care for its delicate design. He looked worried and exhausted. She could tell immediately that something dire was on his mind. “Can I help you with something?” she asked, closing the door quietly.

Ike stared at the intricately patterned rug, tracing the outlines of roses with no real interest. A crease in his brow gave him a confused look. Finally, he said, “I have a problem… and I’m not really sure what to do about it.”

“I’m more than happy to listen,” she said, taking a seat on a poufy stool opposite him. She folded her hands on her crossed knee and waited patiently as he gathered his thoughts.

“I just…” he let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know… how to say it.”

“Please take your time.”

“OK…” Ike breathed for a moment. “So, the thing is… I think I’m…” In the soft light of the glass lanterns, Ike’s face was nearly as red as his cape. Elincia had to stifle a giggle as a thought occurred to her.

“My Lord Ike… Might this matter be personal in nature?”

“I- it is.” Ike nodded, not looking at her.

“And might this perhaps pertain to feelings of… love?”

He looked at her, his eyes slightly widened. The effect was almost comical. “How did you know?”

“Simply a guess,” she said. “Might I venture to name whom you’re interested in?”

“Uh…”

“It wouldn’t be a certain staff officer, would it? Soren?”

Her knowing smile, though not unkind, seemed to embarrass Ike further. He bowed his head. “Was it… that obvious?”

“Perhaps not to an outside observer,” she said gently. “I have noticed you looking at him lately, and the tension between the two of you. Have you told him?”

“No, and that’s the bitch of i- I mean, uh, that’s the thing.” The mercenary had curbed his rough speech fairly well while in court, but he tended to become more casual when he was alone around Elincia. She took that as a compliment – he counted her among his friends, and that was a kind of ease and trust that she cherished. “I don’t know how to do this kind of thing. Elincia, I… I never really saw my parents together.” He looked at her again, his eyes desperate and frustrated. “I don’t know how couples act with each other. I don’t know how they even start. And Soren…” He blushed again. “Soren’s… What if I screw up? What if he doesn’t trust me after this? What if he thinks I’m only…” He couldn’t even finish. The things swirling in his head seemed too horrible to say.

“My Lord Ike,” Elincia said in her most soothing voice, “I am sure that will not be the case. Throughout this war, who was your most loyal companion?”

“Well, Titania, and Mist, and Boyd and Oscar… But…” Ike slumped, suddenly getting her point. “Soren’s… He’s always done everything he can. He always puts the company first.”

Elincia nodded sagely. “Who was always by your side, no matter what?”

“Soren was.”

“Do you really think that he could lose trust in you so easily?” She smiled softly at him. “Have you considered that perhaps he feels the same way for you as you do for him?”

“But I don’t know for sure,” Ike said, letting out a huff. “If I do this wrong, then…”

“It is a simple matter,” Elincia said. “Tell him how you feel. I wouldn’t worry about any sort of premeditated script. In times like these, you can only be honest.”

Ike nodded slowly. “I guess so…” His hands gripped his knees, his elbows stuck out, as if girding himself for battle. “You’re right. All I can do is tell him how I feel. But there’s another problem.” His shoulders drooped again. “I can never find the time! There’s always someone asking for my attention, and when it’s not some political matter, then it’s Soren who’s busy! I found out that he’s been in the library every day, doing research.”

Elincia hummed in thought. “What about the ball tomorrow night? Why not invite him?”

Ike shook his head. “He’d never go to one of those. I wouldn’t want to force him, either.”

“Oh, but think about it,” Elincia said, clasping her hands together as a spark of enthusiasm flared within her. “The two of you could find a secluded balcony, and stand under the stars…”

“Knowing Soren, he would be more worried about all of the other people around us,” Ike said.

“Have you had any luck elsewhere?” Elincia asked sweetly, and Ike was forced to grudgingly admit defeat. “Trust me, it will be quite romantic. An evening ball is the perfect setting for confessing your love.”

Ike snorted. “I guess I should dress well, too… He’d appreciate details like that, wouldn’t he?”

“It seems so,” Elincia said. “You know him best.”

“Yeah… OK.” He squared his shoulders once more. “Thanks, Elincia. I appreciate the support.”

“Any time, my Lord Ike,” she said as he rose to leave.

“I’m gonna ask him to the ball, and I’ll tell him how I feel.”

“I know that you can do it!”

“You’d think,” he said, crossing the room. With his hand on the doorknob, he turned to her with a slightly harried look. “You know, I’d almost rather be back on the battlefield with Ashnard.”

Her stunned laughter followed him into the hallway. He really was astonishing sometimes.

>>><<<

Asking Soren to the ball had been more difficult than Ike had feared. He didn’t want to make it sound like an order, but at the same time, he was determined to have Soren accompany him. Despite Soren’s hesitancy, he agreed without too much prodding. Ike was glad that he hadn’t had to make it an imperative. The last thing he wanted was to force anything on Soren.

Nevertheless, it had been only one hurdle between Ike and his goal. The next was choosing what to wear for such a momentous occasion. The reason for the party itself was mundane enough that he wouldn’t have to make much of an appearance to please the nobles. They were simply honoring the arrival of several returning dignitaries who had been forced to flee during the Daein invasion. There would be no formal dinner, and people would mingle and roam about freely. It was the perfect opportunity to get Soren alone without trapping him somewhere.

Ike looked through the wardrobe of fine clothes that had been given to him over the course of their stay in Melior and found that all of them were lacking in some way: too stiff, too warm, too somber, too understated, too overstated. He had to strike the right note. Soren was a man of meticulous detail. No doubt he would frown on a slovenly appearance, and he would also wrinkle his nose at something gaudy.

The commander settled on blue slacks with a red shirt and jacket, topped with a gold cape lined in blue. It was simpler than some of his other clothes, but nicer than his preferred outfit. It also fit well – lately even his newest clothes were getting a little tight in the arms and chest.

He walked the short distance between his room and Soren’s and knocked on the door. It opened without delay, and Soren stepped out into the hallway.

Ike’s voice caught in his throat for a moment. He had never seen Soren in anything so fine. His outer robe was deep emerald green, shining like silk in the lighted corridor. The gold embroidery at the hem and sleeves gleamed. Beneath was a crisp white garment, but it was cut lower than Soren’s usual clothes, and his pale neck led down to a V of skin at his collar.

It wasn’t that Ike was particularly awed by the clothes themselves; it was that Soren wore them so well. He looked comfortable in them, like he had been wearing these sorts of things all of his life. Though his posture was tense as usual, the gentle curvature of his waist and his slim shoulders fitted the elegant garment perfectly. He looked as if he might be a visiting noble – even a prince. Ike could vividly imagine a silver circlet crowning his head.

“Ready?” Ike asked when he found his voice again. Soren nodded, and they started out for the ballroom. Ike knew the way already; Soren followed at a sedate pace.

As they walked, Ike couldn’t fight the urge to apologize. “Sorry for asking you to do this. You don’t look so well… Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Yes, Ike.” Soren’s voice was toneless. Ike stopped, halting Soren in his tracks, and turned to look at him.

“I never see you at meals, and Titania says you haven’t been sleeping again. If this is too much for you, then…” Such an idiot, Ike thought of himself. Why had he tried to drag Soren out here in the first place? He was obviously under a lot of stress.

“Really, I’m fine. I just don’t feel at ease here. That’s all.”

The slight smile on Soren’s face was forced, but the effort was a bit reassuring. Ike resumed walking, making sure that Soren was still following. “To be honest,” he said, “I don’t, either. I’m glad that at least you understand.”

They reached the ballroom in time to catch Elincia greeting partygoers at the doors. She beamed when she saw them. “My Lord Ike! And Soren! How nice to see you both.”

Ike gave her a nod, and by the way she caught his eye, she seemed to know how nervous he was. She smiled at him and gave a little crinkle of her nose; he looked down at his newly shined shoes, wondering if she was secretly laughing at him. He was supposed to be a hero, and here he was quaking in his boots over a simple conversation.

When he looked up again, Soren was gone. For a moment, he thought that perhaps his companion had decided to flee, after all. He whipped his head around, looking for a glint of ebony and emerald, but Elincia put her hand lightly on his shoulder.

“I saw him go into the ballroom,” she said. They were surrounded by people coming and going, and so she didn’t say anything further, besides a polite, “Please enjoy your evening, General.” But Ike knew that she was wishing him luck, and he appreciated it. He nodded to her once more as he ducked into the crowd and began his search.

He was hailed a few times, from all sides. Normally, he at least gave a cursory acknowledgement to whomever was talking to him, no matter how irritating the interruption. Tonight, he was on a mission. He didn’t even glance towards the nobles who called to him, and he deftly avoided those who came over to him. He didn’t care if it was seen as rude. He had to find Soren and get this burden off of his chest before the anticipation drove him insane.

For a moment, he was driven by blind panic. Soren hated crowds, perhaps even more than Ike did. He hadn’t seemed well ever since the battle with Ashnard, and Ike was worried that maybe he was suffering from some lingering injury, after all. Ike hadn’t been present while Soren was being healed; it was possible that the mage was hiding something. If he was cornered by overly eager nobles, if someone encroached on his space…

If someone recognized his brand…

Since learning more about the treatment most Branded received, Ike had become a little more cautious of Soren’s wellbeing. He didn’t like not knowing where he was. It was this fear that sharpened his mind in the midst of the confusion. Suddenly, he thought, where would Soren go in a place like this? He stopped, looked around, and found an open space near the doors to the grand balcony. Night air was moving freely into the ballroom, gently rustling the elaborate gowns of the ladies. Ike moved in that direction, ignoring a nobleman who approached with his hopeful-looking daughter.

Soren was indeed outside, standing near the railing. There was another man with him. Soren was visibly uncomfortable, leaning away as the man crowded closer to him. Ike sped up, until he was practically standing between the two. The man backed away immediately. Ike recognized him as one of Elincia’s courtiers, a man with minor power in some province of little importance. His sharp eyes widened when he recognized Ike.

“Is everything alright, Soren?” Ike asked, never taking his eyes off of the duke.

Before Soren could answer, the man said, “Why, General. I wasn’t sure if you would attend tonight.”

“Yeah, I came. What do you want with Soren?”

Surprise registered on the duke’s face. “Soren?” He looked to the mage, eyeing him critically. “You wouldn’t be the tactician who won us the war?”

Soren’s voice was carefully even. “That’s right.”

Ike could recognize the shift in the man’s demeanor. It had happened around him a lot – the moment where a noble realized that they were dealing with someone who might help them win favor at court. The carefully crafted veneer of deference never failed to make Ike’s skin crawl. “I took you for a boy,” the man said, his voice oozing with solicitude. “Forgive me. If I had known—”

“It’s fine.” Soren would never be fooled by such tricks, and Ike felt somewhat vindicated as the mage turned to look at him, effectively dismissing the duke. “Ike, did you need something from me?”

The duke slunk away, recognizing a loss when he saw one. Ike watched him retreat. “Let’s go for a walk,” he said to Soren, turning to lead the way even as he glared after the duke. He hadn’t liked the man’s body language one bit. Something about it put him on edge; he had never seen anyone talk to Soren like that. Had he been threatening him? As much as Ike wanted to demand an answer, his greater desire was to get Soren as far from this place as possible.

Ike had been to the gardens in recent weeks, and the repairs were progressing well. He noted that several more shrubs and flowers had been planted since his last visit. He led Soren through the path, heading for a corner that he knew would still be unfinished. Just yesterday, he had heard the steward complaining about the delay in a tile shipment from Begnion.

“It should be quieter over here.” They were now beyond the borders of the party, past anyone who might overhear them. Ike stepped over the rope boundary that delineated the unfinished section. Soren followed, subdued as he had been since the end of the war, and once more Ike began to doubt. Was this really the right time? Soren was obviously struggling with something, whether a physical ailment or a mental one. Something was heavy on his mind, and Ike was just complicating it by dumping his feelings on him.

Then he remembered what Elincia had said, and he took courage from it. Soren had always been by his side. And if Ike expected Soren to share his burdens, then Ike would do well to be open and honest with him in return. He had to say it. He had to do this.

The commander took a deep, steadying breath of cool air. “Easier to think out here, huh?” he said.

Soren responded quietly. “Mm. It is.”

Ike intended to continue on his course; but something else was bothering him. He decided to get it out of the way. “What was that guy talking to you about?”

Soren seemed a little surprised. “Oh, him? He thought I was some nobleman’s son. He was probably hoping that he could buy me for the night.”

“Buy you?” Ike made a face, catching on to the implication. “He didn’t think…” He was familiar with the practice of prostitution, having grown up in a mercenary company with agents who frequented such services. But Soren looked nothing like the bawdy women who called out from tavern doorways.

Soren explained with indifference. “It’s not uncommon for young men to make themselves available to a nobleman. The boy gets showered with presents and contacts, and the man gets his rocks off. It’s an advantageous arrangement, if disturbing.”

Ike cringed. “I thought… I mean, aren’t these people mostly married?”

Soren gave a snort. “You’re quite naïve if you think that they remain loyal. It’s common for a nobleman to take a mistress or two.”

“Huh. I guess we country folk are simpler.” Ike paused, feeling that the moment had come. It was a perfect opportunity to broach the subject. “I always believed that once you find the love of your life, you stay with them forever.”

Soren’s answer was as cynical as expected. “If only everyone could be as straightforward and loyal as you.”

“Heh. Straightforward…” Ike ran a hand through his hair. “Sometimes, I’m hardly straightforward. Or, it’s more like I don’t always know what to say.” He had always lived his life with the intention to be honest. His father had taught him that honesty was the best policy. But honesty came with its price, and sometimes Ike wondered if tact might be a better approach. He had almost none of that.

“Ike, you are the most honest person I know,” Soren said. “Whether you know what to say or not, you always say what you feel. That is more admirable than tact.”

It was as if Soren could read his mind. Ike felt guilty – like he was once more asking Soren to do the impossible, to find the logical pattern in a jumble of confusion, when Ike should have been the one to state his own thoughts. Soren was always having to look through him. Sometimes, Ike wondered if Soren knew him better than he knew himself. He wondered what Soren would think when the confession finally came. Would he be frightened? Confused? Angry? Threatened? Would he go along with it simply because Ike was his friend and commander? Was Ike exercising his authority in an inappropriate way?

“Something’s on your mind?” Soren always knew. It would only add to the confusion if Ike continued to dance around the issue.

This is Soren, Ike thought. Right now, they weren’t commander and staff officer. They were two friends, two people who had known each other for years, who had fought beside each other through impossible situations. He took a steadying breath. “Yeah,” Ike said after a moment. “Yeah, I’ve been… I’ve been thinking a lot.” He turned to look at Soren, who was gazing at him intently. Ike’s heart beat faster. “Lately, I feel like there’s something I’ve left undone. There’s something else I have to do.”

“What do you mean?”

Ike sat on a crate of gardening supplies, and gestured to Soren, who sat next to him. “I defeated the Black Knight. I defeated Ashnard.” He looked up at the sky, studying the pattern of stars. “But there’s still something I have to do… and it’s probably harder than anything I’ve done before.” Soren stayed silent, and Ike knew that he was listening, giving him time to arrange his words in his head. He took the opportunity, and only spoke again when he felt his thoughts clarify.

“I always think that I’ve done my best to express my feelings to people. I wanted to let everyone know how much they mean to me, in case…” He knew that he didn’t have to finish that sentence. Soren would know what he meant. His chest was already tight; he couldn’t afford to get emotional now. “Lately, though, I’ve been thinking that I didn’t really understand my own feelings well enough. I don’t know much about… romance.”

Beside him, Soren tensed just slightly. Ike pushed on, fearing that he would lose his nerve if he delayed any longer. “I don’t really know anyone who would know. It’d be too weird to talk to Mist about it. Titania would also be… awkward. Boyd would laugh at me. Oscar wouldn’t know. Rhys would be too embarrassed… So, I went to Elincia.”

“O- oh?” There was a slight tremor in Soren’s voice now.

“I asked her about it all… How love works. Romantic love. She told me some things.”

“Did she?”

Ike looked at Soren, who was staring down at the ground. Did Soren see it coming? Was he already gearing up to reject his only friend? The more Ike’s mind raced with the thoughts of all that could go wrong, the faster he spoke, as if his tongue were eager to push it all out regardless of the consequences. He fought with himself as he said, “I didn’t understand a lot of what she said. I don’t really get the… ins and outs of it. But I do understand one thing: The way you feel for someone… for that one person you want to spend your life with… It’s different from how you feel about family or friends.”

Soren nodded. Ike’s heart constricted. He had to explain, he had to make Soren understand.

“When I think about losing any of you… it hurts. It hurts a lot. But I can see myself moving on, somehow. Like I moved on from Father’s death. There’s only one person who is so… so important to me. I don’t know that I could move on, if…”

Finally, those red eyes met his. Ike’s heart stopped for a moment. “Soren…” he breathed, sinking to his knee, unable to keep still any longer for the anxiety seizing his gut. He took Soren’s hand. “During that last battle, when you were hurt… I never realized…” He cleared his throat, remembering the sheer terror he had felt when the spear had struck through Soren’s side. Then he dismissed the memory; he had to focus on the here and now. “I’m still not really clear on any of this. I don’t know what I’m doing. But I…”

“Ike…”

“I love you,” Ike said before he really meant to. Then the words came spilling out in a torrent, and he was unable to stop them. “For a long time, I knew you were important to me. I never knew why.” Soren’s eyes were wide. “I don’t know if this is the same kind of love that my father felt for my mother. I don’t know if it’s the same thing they write about in poems. But I know that if I were to lose you, I couldn’t ever recover. I couldn’t ever forget… or move on.” He felt like he was falling through space, out of control. It was like riding on the back of a Pegasus, like being thrown through the air in the aftermath of a blast of magic.

“I…” Soren didn’t seem to know what to say. “Ike, I…”

“Will you stay with me?” It was the distillation of all of his questions, all of his fears and hopes. Whether Soren would accept a romantic relationship or not, Ike just wanted him to stay. Even if they could never be more than friends, he needed Soren in his life.

Ike’s breath left his lungs when Soren said, “Yes… Ike, I always wanted…” Red eyes were glistening in the lamplight. “I would be very happy if I could stay by your side…”

And just like that, Ike lived again. “Thank you,” he said, almost sighed. He stood, taking Soren with him.

Soren shook his head, hiding his face behind his hair. “No, I… You don’t think… What about your future?”

“Hopefully, you’ll be there with me,” Ike said. He didn’t understand what Soren was talking about. Of course, they would always be together.

“Don’t you want a family?”

The implications became clear. Ike glanced back at the palace, at the lighted pathways and the distant figures of the mingling nobles. “I have one,” he said, turning back to Soren. “Soren, I don’t care how many marriage offers I get. I just want you.”

“Ike…”

He took Soren into his arms, and was elated to feel Soren squeezing him back, holding him tightly about the waist. His arms encircled Soren’s shoulders, one hand coming to rest at the back of his head. He tried not to crush Soren as he hugged him close. This felt right, he thought. It felt the way it should feel, with a perfectly fitted warmth against his body. Soren was trembling, and Ike held him all the tighter for it, steadying him and comforting him without words.

“Does this…” Soren muttered against Ike’s neck. “Are we… l- lovers now?”

Ike smiled slightly at the word. “I guess we are. I don’t really care what it’s called. I just want you to stay with me.”

“Always… I always will.” Soren’s voice was so quiet that Ike could hardly hear him, but the way Soren held onto him made his answer clear.

Ike couldn’t help himself. He pulled back and took Soren’s chin in his fingers, tilting his face up until their eyes met once more. He leaned down, pulling Soren up gently, until he felt warmth on his lips and a soft yielding that had his knees threatening to give out. It didn’t last long – he didn’t want to screw up his very first kiss. But when he leaned back, Soren was smiling at him, and Ike returned the expression. For a long moment, they just smiled at each other, studying each other’s eyes. Ike’s heart was ready to melt when Soren finally hid his face back in Ike’s chest.

“So, then,” Ike said with a slight quirk of his lips. “That settles it. Sealed with a kiss, right?”

“Yes…” Soren’s voice trembled like the rest of him.

Ike took Soren’s hand and tugged him towards the palace. “We already made our appearance… Let’s go.”

They walked side by side, hand in hand, and Ike felt lighter than he had in a long time.

>>><<<

“You never told me what was bothering you.”

It was late. The ball was probably winding down by now, though Ike and Soren had abandoned it hours ago. They were sitting in Soren’s room, staring into the fireplace and leaning against each other. For hours they had talked, their conversation punctuated with periods of comfortable silence. They had indulged in just being together, and neither was eager to end their little vacation from the rest of the palace. When someone had come knocking at the door, neither had answered, instead pretending that they weren’t even there until the would-be visitor had given up and gone away.

Now, Ike spoke to begin another round of conversation. Soren looked up at him, still nuzzled against his shoulder. “What do you mean?” Soren asked.

“All this time, ever since the battle…” Ike frowned, adjusting his hold around Soren’s waist gently. “You’ve been acting like you’re not feeling well. Is it your injury?”

Soren shook his head, settling back against Ike’s side. “I was… trying to tramp down my disappointment,” he said with some hesitation. “During Queen Elincia’s coronation, when you came out holding her hand… I…”

Ike’s frown only deepened. “What do you mean?”

“You were leading her by the hand, and it looked like…” Soren’s hand curled around Ike’s fingers. “You seemed very… intimate with her. You never took your eyes off of her.”

Ike thought back to that day. “I was just giving her some encouragement,” he said, bewildered. “Did you think I was… What exactly did you think?”

“Ike, don’t make me…” Soren buried his face in that broad chest, blushing furiously. “Everyone knew. Everyone thought that it was a match made in heaven – the Savior of Crimea and the beautiful queen… It’s a love story that practically writes itself.”

Ike blinked, and then laughed. His quaking shoulders dislodged Soren, who sat up and stared at him. Ike couldn’t help himself, though. He chuckled more freely than he had in months. “Are you saying that people think I’m courting Elincia?”

“Well, yes!” Soren seemed flustered. “Even I thought so! I thought that you would naturally choose her. I know that you have never coveted wealth or power, but she is beautiful, and she adores you. You rescued her, after all, and…”

“Wait a minute,” Ike said, cutting Soren off. “I help lots of people. And she hired us, so after that, it was only natural that I’d do whatever I could to achieve her goals. You drafted the contract yourself! You know that.”

“But, Ike, she’s—”

“She’s a good friend, and a good ruler.” Ike looked into Soren’s eyes meaningfully. “She’s brave and smart and capable, and I’m proud of her. I’m glad to see how much she’s grown since we met. I’m glad things worked out for her. But I’m not interested in her. Not like that. She can never be you. It’s _you_ who’s been with me all this time, and you’ve never let me down. I trust you completely. And besides, she’s a queen! What the hell would I do with myself, living in a place like this?”

When Soren just looked at him, Ike pulled him close again. “You know, you’re a genius, but you are really bad when it comes to emotions,” the commander said.

“Not that you’re much better…” Soren muttered in half-hearted rebuke.

“Yeah,” Ike chuckled softly. “At least I have an excuse, though. I’m not too bright.” Before Soren could protest, he added, “At least, compared to you. I thought you’d have figured out by now how I feel about you.”

“I… I didn’t believe that I deserved something like this.” Soren’s voice was quiet again.

“None of that.” Ike buried his nose in soft black hair. Soren’s scent was like soap and parchment, familiar and comforting. “There’s no reason to think about deserving or not deserving. We’re here now and we’re together.”

“Yes, Ike.” Soren held on like he was drowning. Ike held him just as close.

“You know, Elincia was the one who gave me a little push to confess to you tonight,” Ike said after another prolonged silence.

“Really?” Soren sounded skeptical.

“She did,” Ike said seriously. “She said she knew for a while, how I felt about you… and I think she even knew that you felt the same. She said as much, now that I think on it.”

“Hm. She’s not as oblivious as I believed.”

“Soren.” Ike’s scolding tone was mostly jocular. He rubbed Soren’s back lightly.

“Well, I suppose that I ought to send her a card or some fruit or something,” Soren sighed. “If she truly was instrumental in this turn of events, then I owe her a great deal.”

“I would have gotten around to it by myself,” Ike said, somewhat put out. “Maybe not so soon, but eventually.”

“And by that time, perhaps I would have taken Stefan up on his offer and run off with him to the desert.”

Ike bristled. “Stefan? Why Stefan?!”

Soren didn’t want to say why. He didn’t want to tell Ike that he and Stefan were the same – that they were both cursed to outlive their beorc companions. He didn’t want to admit that he had been thinking about the future, and he had concluded that perhaps he would have no choice but to join Stefan’s village once Ike had gone.

Thankfully, Ike provided a distraction. “You really go for swordsmen, don’t you?”

Soren had to stifle a laugh. “What?”

“I know he’s more experienced, but I still say I could beat him!” Ike was getting heated now, and Soren couldn’t hold back his mirth. “What’s so funny?”

“Are you jealous of Stefan, of all people?”

Ike blushed. “Well, you were jealous of Elincia.” Something occurred to him then. “Hey, what about Aimee? You never felt threatened by her, did you?”

Soren shook his head. “I knew you weren’t interested in her. But Elincia… As I said, everyone thought that you would end up together.”

“Huh.” Ike pulled Soren down with him, so that they were both lying on the settee. Ike was too tall for it, and Soren had to lie on top of him to fit, but it was comfortable enough. “Here you were worrying about Elincia, and all I could think about was how to tell you my feelings…”

Soren snorted. “When have you ever put so much thought into anything?”

“I didn’t want to screw it up.” Ike was perfectly serious. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable around me. If you didn’t feel the same way, then I didn’t want us to stop being friends, at least. And if you thought that I was exercising my authority, or forcing you, or…”

That train of thought was derailed by a kiss. Brief and tender, it was still thrilling. Ike thought that he wouldn’t mind being interrupted, if only Soren would always do it this way. The mage was smiling down at him shyly when he pulled back. “I know you better than that,” he said. “You would never use your position like that.”

Ike’s expression softened, the tension easing away. “We’re both hopeless, huh?”

By way of answer, Soren just nestled against Ike’s solid body. Quite the contrary, Soren had never felt so hopeful.

**Author's Note:**

> And they did not end up having sex, because in my head-canon, they don't figure THAT out until after Radiant Dawn.


End file.
